The ShapeShift MOLLE Holster

Modular MOLLE

Modularity is not a new concept in the gun industry — which makes the Alien Gear MOLLE Holster a testament to
a storied history.

The Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) system has been with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps
for just shy of two decades now.

Alien Gear's recently released MOLLE holster adapts civilian guns and holsters to a system born in the grit
of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Knowing where this holster comes from is just as important as understanding what it is and what it can
do.

What you should know about MOLLE systems

Here's a quick crash-course on what MOLLE is and how it came to be.

MOLLE is the framework for a military specification of a load-bearing design that NATO armed forces use
to carry equipment. It is a system with webbing for smaller packs and various accoutrement to be
attached on apparel like backpacks, belts, range bags, vests and so on.

What the equipment attaches to is actually the Pouch
Attachment Ladder System. This is a grid of interwoven nylon strips that MOLLE-compatible gear loops
or hooks onto.

It's patented by the United States Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center
(NSRDEC).

1967: The prior system, made from cotton, was updated with the M1967
Individual Load Carrying Equipment with new materials that would better survive in Vietnam — Nylon
replaced cotton, aluminum/plastic replaced steel/brass where possible and zippers/snaps were replaced by
a Velcro-esque "hook and pile" fastener

1988: The Individual Integrated Fighting System was presented as a possible replacement, although there
were updates in 1995 for magazine-accessibility and for textile-breathability to optimize ventilation

1996: A survey was delivered to soldiers and marines that led to the operating characteristics of the MOLLE
system: modularity, durability and comfortability

2001: Speciality Defense Inc. received a contract to produce 216,000 MOLLE systems for the Marine Corps
and Army fielding

MOLLE equipment was produced in camouflage, then desert camouflage and then in 2006 the Universal Camouflage
pattern.

The MOLLE system improved load-carrying abilities with a padded shoulder strap and waist belt that soldiers
could modify to shift the weight of their load to a more comfortable position.

The interwoven, grid-like MOLLE Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS) replaced the metal clips in the
ALICE system that were previously used to attach equipment. PALS was an addition to the load-bearing
MOLLE system that offered a flexible system to personalize what accessories and pouches were necessary
to carry in various environments.

Of course, there are a lot more details than what was listed above, but that's a quick take on it.

Civilian everyday carriers found that the system is extremely versatile and companies have started to
produce packs, belts and what not with PALS webbing. The MOLLE holster is, almost by default, an
open carry holster
setup.

Alien Gear's MOLLE Holster: What You Should Know

The Alien Gear MOLLE holster is an extension of the ShapeShift Modular Holster System.

The Shift Shell — an injection-molded polymer shell fitted to specific handgun models — attaches to a
two-pronged, heat and impact-resistant polymer base at a single point.

Those two prongs then slide into PALS webbing. At the bottom of the two prongs, there is a MOLLE Lock
that slips onto the end and locks the MOLLE Holster base onto the webbing wherever it is on or off the
body.

The MOLLE Locks are available in two sizes to fit either two or three columns of regular or irregular PALS
webbing.

There are three options for Alien Gear's MOLLE Holster:

The ShapeShift MOLLE Holster, which includes a Shift Shell, adjustable retention unit and a thumb
release

The ShapeShift MOLLE Carry Expansion Pack, an option for those who already have a full Shift Shell
configuration

The Cloak Mod MOLLE Holster, which hooks the Cloak Mod base to the MOLLE extension